Perhaps the nation's best defensive catcher, Sanchez also made great strides with the bat in 2009, leading Boston College in batting, slugging and on-base percentage to guide the Eagles to their first regional in more than four decades.

The best hitter in college baseball, Ackley's power production spiked in 2009, but he still hit better than .400 for the third straight year. He heads to his third straight CWS as UNC's all-time leader in hits (338) and batting (.410).

2BDerek McCallum

3BChris Dominguez

McCallum slid from shortstop to second base as a junior and saw his numbers soar, leading the Big Ten in hits, homers and RBIs. He also helped Minnesota reach the Baton Rouge Regional finals and finish the year ranked in the top 25.

One of the nation's most feared power hitters, Dominguez has slugged 61 home runs in three seasons. He also has increased his walk total each year, and he even showed off some speed on the basepaths, leading Louisville with 19 steals.

SSStephen Cardullo

OFJason Kipnis

The Seminoles started playing their best baseball after moving Cardullo into the shortstop role to solidify the defense. He also provided speed, power and patience out of the No. 2 spot in the potent Florida State offense.

The Pacific-10 Conference player of the year, Kipnis led the league in hits, slugging and stolen bases while ranking second in on-base percentage. He is the centerpiece of an ASU lineup that lost sevens starters from last year but still reached Omaha.

OFMark Krauss

OFKent Matthes

No slugger in the nation hit home runs at the clip Krauss did in 2009; he led the country with .51 long balls per game. A record-setting wide receiver in high school, Krauss developed into the best baseball player and prospect in the MAC.

It took Matthes a little while to figure it all out: He hit just 19 homers in 482 at-bats entering this spring. But he figured it out in a big way, tying for the national lead with 28 homers in 204 at-bats. He also ranks third nationally in slugging.

DHRich Poythress

UTBryce Brentz

The midseason Player of the Year, Poythress slumped down the stretch along with his team, but his bat came alive again in regionals, where he mashed four homers. Few college hitters can match Poythress' combination of hitting ability and power.

A likely first-round pick in the 2010 draft, Brentz has been MTSU's best pitcher and most dangerous hitter for two straight years. He tied for the national lead in homers.

SPLouis Coleman

SPMike Leake

The pitcher of the year in the Southeastern Conference, Coleman made a smooth transition from bullpen stalwart as a junior to rotation workhorse as a senior. He led the SEC in wins and ERA while ranking second in strikeouts.

Leake could go down in history as the best pitcher in Arizona State's illustrious history. He became the first back-to-back Pac-10 pitcher of the year and leads the nation in wins and hits per nine innings, while ranking second in ERA.

SPA.J. Morris

SPStephen Strasburg

Morris struggled over his first two years at Kansas State before turning a corner last summer in the West Coast League. This spring he emerged as the best Friday starter in a Big 12 Conference that was loaded with quality aces.

Perhaps the most dominant college pitcher of his generation, Strasburg won BA's Player of the Year award after leading the nation in strikeouts and ERA. He also guided San Diego State to regionals for the first time since 1991.

RPKyle Bellamy

The sidewinding Bellamy ranks sixth in the nation in saves, but more impressive is how he carried Miami's inexperienced pitching staff, often working multiple innings to earn his saves. He shortened games like no other pitcher in the nation.